Big Inning Powers Huskers to 14-5 Win

Las Cruces, N.M. - A seven-run sixth inning powered the Nebraska softball team to a 14-5 season-opening run-rule victory over Illinois-Chicago on a warm and sunny Friday afternoon at the NMSU Softball Complex in Las Cruces, N.M.

The Huskers led 7-5 to begin the sixth, before exploding for seven runs in the frame. Nebraska produced eight consecutive hits in the inning, including six straight run-scoring hits. Overall, the Husker offense produced 14 runs on 16 hits, lifting Nebraska to a 1-0 start to the 2013 season.

Every Husker who had an at bat recorded a hit, including six players who posted multiple hits. Junior Kylee Muir, who entered the game with two career hits and no extra bases, finished 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, two walks, two runs scored and two RBIs. Classmate Taylor Edwards finished 3-for-4, adding a double, two RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Freshmen Kiki Stokes and Hailey Decker finished with two hits each. Stokes produced a triple and an RBI, while Decker homered and drove in three. Her home run was a two-run blast in her first career at bat, as she became the first Husker since Tatum Edwards in 2011 to homer in her first at bat at Nebraska.

Joining the freshmen duo with two hits apiece were senior Brooke Thomason and sophomore Jordan Bettiol. Thomason added two RBIs while Bettiol drove in one.

In the circle, freshman Emily Lockman (1-0) earned a complete-game victory in her Husker debut. Only one of the five runs she allowed was earned, while she struck out four and walked six. Lockman also fired a six-hitter.

UIC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, with some help from the Husker defense. After Lockman struck out the first batter of her collegiate career, a weak ground ball turned into a baserunner thanks to a Husker error. Then with two outs and runners on first and third, Laura Swan grounded a 1-2 pitch up the middle and the ball skipped past a sliding Kiki Stokes in center field for a two-run triple.

Nebraska answered right back in the top of the second. Muir walked before Decker went the opposite way on a 1-2 pitch, lining a two-run homer over the fence in right center. With the game tied at 2-2, freshman Alicia Armstrong reached on a two-out double on the first pitch of her collegiate career, but she was stranded at third base, after advancing on a passed ball.

Two more Husker errors and a well-timed, two-out single led to two more unearned runs in the bottom of the frame, as the Flames went back in front, 4-2.

In the top of the third, senior Gabby Banda drew a leadoff walk before Taylor Edwards lined a 1-2 offering to the fence in right center for an RBI double. Two batters later, Muir doubled to left field, scoring Edwards to tie the game at 4-4. Nebraska again missed a chance to take the lead, stranding freshman pinch runner Sammi Noland at third base.

After holding UIC scoreless for the first time in the bottom of the third, the Huskers scored three times in the top of the fourth to take a 7-4 lead.Bettiol began the inning with a leadoff single. Stokes then laced an RBI triple over the head of the center fielder to give the Huskers their first lead of the game. Stokes was then tagged out at home on a squeeze bunt attempt, where Banda made a terrific effort just to put the ball in play. A walk to Taylor Edwards and a wild pitch put runners at second and third, before Thomason reach on an RBI, infield single. Thomason and Taylor Edwards then successfully pulled off a double steal, with Edwards swiping home to stretch the NU lead to three.

Laura Schmit cut the lead to 7-5 when she led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a solo home run.

For the third time in the game, the Huskers answered in their next at bat. Stokes reached on a perfectly placed slap single, before Banda singled up the middle. With runners on first and second, Taylor Edwards drove in her second run of the game with an RBI single. Thomason then picked up her second RBI single in as many at bats, before Muir ripped an RBI double to give Nebraska an 11-5 lead.

The Huskers still had a pair of runner on second and third with none out, before Decker brought Thomason home with an RBI single to left. Freshman Dawna Tyson followed with her first career hit, another RBI single that stretched the lead to eight. A wild pitch then scored Bettiol to give Nebraska a 14-5 advantage.

In the bottom of the frame, a walk, a double and a fielder's choice where no out was recorded loaded the bases with only one out. But Lockman escaped the bases-loaded jam without any damage, securing the six-inning, run-rule victory.

Nebraska wraps up its 2013 opening day with a second game Friday against host New Mexico State, in the Aggies' season opener.

Notes: Nebraska's 14 runs tied for its most runs scored in a season opener in school history. The Huskers also scored 14 runs in a 14-7 victory over Creighton to open the 1993 season, Rhonda Revelle's first season as NU Head Coach.

The Huskers started five freshmen in the game, the most in Revelle's 21 seasons and believed to be the most for a season opener in school history. Nebraska's four freshmen hitters combined for six hits, a double, a triple, a home run, four runs scored and five RBIs.